Police to Have Extra Patrols for Drunk Drivers on Halloween

The Missoula Police Department wants to remind all who will be celebrating Halloween that ‘buzzed driving is drunk driving’ on Halloween, and every day.

Sergeant Greg Amundsen says while the little ones will be going door-to-door for candy, many grown-ups will be going from party to party for their own kind of treats, and to do everything possible to ensure that everyone gets home safe.

“The Police Department has added some extra patrols and we’ll have a couple of people out on Wednesday night just looking for impaired drivers,” said Amundsen. “We’ll be trying to keep people safe as they celebrate Halloween.”

Amundsen has advice for those who will be driving during those evening trick or treat hours.

“I would tell everyone to check their headlights,” he said. “During the summer you might not notice so much, but I’ve seen a lot of cars recently with one of their headlights out, so make sure both your headlights work. In most cars they’re pretty easy to replace and they’re not that expensive. Really, just slow down and pay even more attention to make sure you’re looking for pedestrians. It’s very dangerous because a lot of these younger kids will be wearing masks and other things that limit their vision, and they get excited about getting more candy so they’re not paying attention.”

Amundsen said there are several options to help party goers get home safe on Halloween.

“My favorite way is if you’re going to a bar or a house party, just have one of your friends drop you off,” he said. “You can also use a ride service like Uber, Lyft, Green Taxi, Yellow Cab and Mountain Line runs until 9:30 p.m.”

Amundsen says if you see someone drinking and driving, call 9-1-1, and you can also keep a friend from driving drunk by taking their keys and giving them a ride home.